Cycling pants - how to choose?
Cycling pants are an essential part of the equipment of a cyclist who is looking for greater comfort when riding a bicycle. One of the most important parts of the pants is the pad, which is one of the three contact points that a cyclist with a bicycle has, and therefore it is important to know how to choose the right one. The right choice of cycling pants together with the seat is the basis for long comfortable rides.
How to choose the right cycling pants
Whether we are looking for short or long cycling pants, men’s or women’s, the choice on the market is very wide. In this article, we analyze 3 types of pants: cycling bibs, waist cycling pants and casual pants.
First of all, you need to define what type of pants we want to look for – it will depend on the style of cycling we want to do.
Casual style pants
Tourist cyclists, commuters and some cyclists who love gravel cycling can choose this style of casual, but also cycling pants.
The other two types of cycling pants are pants with a cycling pad.
If you plan to spend more than just a few hours on a bike, pants with an pad are a must. The key parameter of a bicycle pad is its density. Many cheap pants have an pad that is thick and soft, it lasts a few weeks, but over time, it becomes thinner and its functionality disappears. On the contrary, a dense pad is ideal, with a thickness of 8 – 13 mm. After 40 years of development, many types of pads have been designed for each type of ride. For example, fast time pads have less padding in the back and more in the front, as this part of the body is more in contact with the seat in the aero position. The pad designed for Gran Fondo or sports pad will have a greater thickness at the sciatic bones to increase comfort in a more upright position on the bike.
Once we know what style of cycling we need pants for, we know what thickness and type of pad we are looking for, we still have to decide between pants with straps (bibs) or without straps.
Waist trousers
These pants are suitable for riders who start cycling and are not yet ready to switch to cycling bibs.
Pants with straps
Cycling pants with straps – bibs, cullote or culote, whether they are cycling shorts or long pants, men’s or women’s, are the most used type for cycling enthusiasts and professional riders. The straps eliminate the need for belt strips that can be uncomfortable and push. They also allow the pad to adhere better to the cyclist’s body.
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